Should Cameras Be Allowed to Replace Mirrors? - Gov't Wants Your Feedback

[freebeard]

My neck is good for 60° to the left and 60° to the right.

I like the Wink mirror.

[Snax]

I just installed this camera and I love it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AUdOYlAnx8

It is legal here, and it looks really good. I get a better rear view now than I did with the panoramic mirror and side interior blind spot mirrors, plus of course the dash-cam recording front and rear.

[freebeard]

What did you install it in? An i3?

Were I to install one in my car, I'd go for the top of the dash instead of the top of the windshield. As in the ID.3.

[Snax]

Yep, I put it in my i3 over the OEM mirror as designed. I prefer the elevated position for dashcam recording.

I really like the quality of it and the touch screen. Aside from the rubber strap mounting, it is very solidly built and just works exactly how I expected it should with only one physical button to turn the screen on or off.

[redpoint5]

I just about watched one of those box opening videos.

[Big Dave]

My self, I'd like something to replace these barn door trailer tow mirrors on my F350.

Someone (probably aerohead) posted a study that claimed 8% of the aero drag on cars is due to side-mounted mirrors. It's probably more for these elephant ears.

The TT mirrors also make the truck a PITA to park in tight spots.

[MeteorGray]

I too have a big set of towing mirrors on my ole '96 F250, and I even modified them to extend them out a bit more to allow me to see "around" the trailer a bit better. Of course they also are now creating even more wind disruption in the tradeoff.

It may have cost me a little fuel economy, but it seems a lot safer to be able to see what's behind me when I need to pass etc.

Of course, a camera would be better, perhaps one or more installed on the rear of the trailer. But I wonder how much maintenance and $$$ it would take to buy and support the camera, screens, transmitters and etc. over the 24 years I've been driving my rig.

The mirrors cost virtually nothing and continue to work as well as the day I got them all those years ago. Of course, a camera system might be able to add to my average towing mileage of 14MPG. So maybe it would pay for itself, depending on a lot of circumstances.

[Hersbird]

I tried to put a camera on the back of the trailer and went with wireless for ease of hookup. The problem is from the dash to the back bumper exceeds the range if most of these wireless cameras. I need to move the transmitter up to the front of the trailer and maybe the receiver to the back of the tow vehicle.

The one thing I like about tow mirrors is the ability to see the tires on the trailer. I know they make TPMS systems but they are a bit delayed, and I like to see where the tires are when riding along, backing, or turning.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Big Dave

My self, I'd like something to replace these barn door trailer tow mirrors on my F350.

Someone (probably aerohead) posted a study that claimed 8% of the aero drag on cars is due to side-mounted mirrors. It's probably more for these elephant ears.

The TT mirrors also make the truck a PITA to park in tight spots.

*Folding the mirrors on Spirit-I dropped the drag from,Cd 0.268.to 0.251.Deleting the mirrors dropped the drag to Cd 0.24.Delta-0.028 in all (11.67% of total drag) Ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*The replacement,SCCA racing mirrors added back, Cd 0.01 to the truck.
*At the time of Ford's Fusion,Bonneville LSR hydrogen racer,both GM and Ford claimed Cd 0.015 for dual outside mirrors.
*Tesla,Chevy Volt-II,Jaguar,Aston Martin,and a few others,have mirrors in the Cd 0.01 range.This is an outgrowth from the 1985 Subaru XT,which moved the mirror body out to 80-mm from the body sides,on slender stalks.

[redpoint5]

Cameras can be had for as little as $5. I bet quality ones made for vehicle manufacturers can be had for $10. Mirrors aren't really cheaper, or at least close enough that the question isn't which saves me $1, but which solution works better most of the time.

Even if the cameras add more expense, they quickly recover that cost by way of better fuel efficiency. Cost isn't a hindrance to cameras anymore. If anything, they save money.